I-64 lanes, ramps closed for emergency repairs

Westbound traffic backed up on Interstate 64 on Thursday afternoon, as workers shut down the two westbound lanes for emergency repairs. The work was expected to continue throughout the night.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two lanes of westbound Interstate 64 are closed between the Virginia Street and Oakwood Road exits in Charleston, a Metro 911 dispatcher said.The left and center lanes were closed for emergency repairs. The Lee Street westbound on-ramp was also closed.State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Carrie Bly said workers hoped to have the lanes and the Lee Street ramp open at about 5 p.m. Thursday.

The on-ramp was open for evening traffic, but was expected to close again at 8 p.m., according to Metro 911 dispatchers. Workers also planned to close the Oakwood Road on-ramp and Virginia Street off-ramp from 8 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday.Apparently, a temporary metal plate installed by workers on the road had come loose and was damaging vehicles as they drove over it, a State Police trooper at the scene said Thursday afternoon.A Kanawha County Metro 911 dispatcher said the center had received calls early Thursday about a bolt sticking up from a metal plate on the interstate.